Hi
@Functional Artist
More lean would give better handling in turns where the terrain is not flat.
Typical roadways have less than 5 degrees of tilt, but in the yard or off road, I am trying to make turns or go straight on a 600 pound "street bike" where there are slopes greater than 15 degrees.
As speed increases, I have noticed the trike wants to steer by leaning rather than turning (just like a bike), as long as I do not exceed that 15 degree limitation while carving a turn. When I hit the 15*, that limits the arc I can carve in a turn, and the throttle or brake has to be used to prevent unwanted interference with trees, rocks, cars, concrete blocks or whatever may be there in the yard to drive around.
Experience... the hard teacher:
I figured this out the hard way by running over an 8" concrete block with the left front wheel the other day.
I was coming up from the "bottom" of the yard, (uphill slope) and trying to carve a minimum radius turn while pouring into second and then third gear, saw the block would be in my path and was leaning all I could but was not able to get the trike to turn any more to match the line I was committing to with the throttle. I applied the rear brakes (too little, too late) and ate that concrete block with a very slight bump - not enough to throw me or pull the handlebars loose from my hands (since my front shocks are now twice as long), but hitting anything as big and solid as a concrete block should be avoided.
Now I have to watch my LF tire for lumps bumps or bruises from that 20-25 mph impact.
Here are some things I have been thinking of as a fix:
1) Disassemble and move on <not yet>
2) Ride slower <nah>
3) Lean more (fix ball joints in the process)
4) More grip on rear tire to bring the rear around in a powerslide
5) Extend foot pegs to get leverage for more weight transfer when standing on the pegs.
Thanks for your comments and ideas.